Slips, Camisoles, and More: What Are Your Go-To Pieces?

2017 Update: We still stand by this advice on what to wear beneath wrap dresses; if you’re looking for more current advice on which are readers’ go-to underwear picks, check out our more recent discussion of the best lingerie for office looks.

What do you wear beneath wrap dresses? Are there camisole-slips? Reader V has an interesting question about what to wear beneath clothes that I think leads us to a great larger question: what are your favorite brands and pieces in slips, camisoles, support garments, pantyhose, and more?

I have a question re slips. I understand that people wear them (even the non-control ones) to even out the lumpy-squishies, make things less sheer, improve drape, etc. But for an unlined v-neck or wrap dress, where one might want help with smoothing out lumps and VPL and sheerness, what if you also want to raise the neckline. Are there camisole-type slips that are designed to be seen (so maybe in white or black, depending on the color of dress; not nude-for-you)? I’m not sure what to do for something like a DVF wrap dress — I want to wear a slip, but don’t want to slip up. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thank you!

This is a great question. We’ve talked about how to keep wrap dresses closed, but not what to wear beneath wrap dresses. While reading her answer I found myself going through the things that I would wear beneath a wrap dress:

What to Wear Beneath Wrap Dresses

Spanx Higher Power (either shaper or tights, because I wear them with every dress)

camisole (here’s our last roundup of great camisoles — based on reader suggestions I might upgrade my collection to a half-camisole, such as this one)

Now that’s a lot of undergarments. That said, I’ve had bad experiences with “control” slips, so even though they exist I’d probably stick with my loose, comfy half-slip and tights/shaper. And while I have full slips, none of them have nice enough fabric (or are cut high enough) that I would use them if I wanted to raise the neckline of a dress — they’re definitely undergarments. That said, I wear wrap dresses once in a blue moon (they’re just not that flattering a style on me!) so it hasn’t been worth it to me to hunt for a perfect slip — but I could see that being a must-have if one loved wrap dresses. Doing a quick hunt around the Internet, this (pictured, available from Adea for $89), this, or this look like they might be good options.

What’s Your Favorite Lingerie for Work?

But then I started thinking — Angie at YouLookFab just did her roundup of the support undergarments she recommends all the time, and we haven’t had a similar discussion in forEVER (here’s our last discussion about favorite panties to prevent VPL). So — let’s talk! Please answer the following in your comment:

– Favorite panty – Maidenform cotton boyshorts– Favorite bra –Fantasie– Favorite slip – (I think I bought my last few slips at Century 21 in lower Manhattan — they’re maybe Vanity Fair or some similar budget line)– Favorite camisole – Like I’ve said before, I’ve always liked cheaper ones like Old Navy/Loft — but I will definitely check out a half-bra such as this Gap one (25% off today), recommended by the readers in our last discussion– Favorite pantyhose – I have yet to find a favorite, but I would probably try Spanx (since I love their tights)– Favorite support garment – Spanx In-Power Line– panties and thigh-length. To me, these two pieces (in a nude-for-me beige) are versatile enough to wear beneath almost everything I own.– Favorite other – I got a Dr. Rey “body briefer” at a blogger event a while ago and must say I’m kind of amazed — it definitely sucks you in. Is it comfortable? No. Can I pee in it? Not really. But does it actually make me look 10 pounds thinner? Yep.

So let’s hear it, ladies — what’s your advice for what to wear beneath wrap dresses when you want to raise the neckline, protect against unwrapping, and prevent static/bunching? Care to play — what are your favorite brands in general for undergarments and other lingerie for work?

Comments

I am not brand loyal with any of these things, if I need one I go and buy from Target, Sears, or Macys depending on my needs and mood. Though yesterday I picked up a lace top cami from Kmart, I liked the feel and fit, hopefully it works out. I own zero slips or shapewear. Pantyhose – I like nude thigh highs.

I alway’s wear a slip or a cami. I never want the manageing partner or Frank to be abel to see anything more than they have to.

I have a TAX THREAD JACK for the HIVE. My dad is prepareing my 1040 TAX return. DAD did NOT agree with Frank’s includeing $1835 on a Form 1099 for me, which is for last year’s clotheing REIMBURSMENT allowance. My dad say’s that this money should NOT be taxeable b/c I have to wear nice clothe’s for work and the reimbursment is not different then me getting a free uniform from the manageing partner to wear, which I wear ONLY for work. My dad says b/c no taxes were taken out, I will have alot of EXTRA taxes of about $600 for this 1099. He also says the manageing partner should have considered this payroll income if he had to include it at all, and then they would be payeing taxes too, which they are NOT. FOOEY!

So Dad told me to tell Frank NOT to file the 1099, and if he already did, that he should REDUCE my W2 for next year by $2,000 to cover the cost of money. Dad says that if I have to include the 1099 money, then I should be abel to deduct 100% of the clothes I bought last year (more then the $1835 on the 1099), which is over $6000, b/c he say’s there is no way I would have needed all of those clothe’s if I was just still workeing as a process server. Dad is very smart, as a MENSA nominee, and he makes alot of sense, but I am very confused. FOOEY!

Frank disagree’s. He says it is INCOME, and that my clotheing is NOT at all deducteable either, b/c I can wear those clothe’s any where, even if I don’t. Frank onley filed the 1099 with the IRS b/c I was over $600, and he is NOT going to do what my dad want’s. If I am goieing to have to pay an extra $600 in taxes, should I ask the manageing partner to reimburese me for the taxe’s? DOES ANYONE IN THE HIVE KNOW? THIS IS SO COMPLECATED and I DO NOT WANT TO GET AUDITED, so PLEASE HELP!

Here is my favorite – it is reversible and by Vanity Fair
http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/lingerie-pajamas/vanity-fair-full-slip-reversible-18-/prod.jump?ppId=pp5001440962&catId=cat100240050&subcatId=cat100240035&deptId=dept20000013&dimCombo=null&dimComboVal=null

And you know what? I do wear it under wrap dresses and you can see it peeking out the top. I think the material, especially in black, is really not that different from a camisole.

I only wear tights/bra/panties underneath a wrap dress. In the summer, I just wear panties and bra.

– Favorite panty – VS lace side thongs
– Favorite bra – currently Anita nursing bras. I also like Spanx bras when I am not nursing.
– Favorite slip – don’t wear ’em
– Favorite camisole – forever 21 or Old Navy
– Favorite pantyhose – if I have to (kicking and screaming!) DKNY The Nudes
– Favorite support garment – I have some spanx high-waisted shorts that are good, can’t remember what they are called.

Same here! Did you know they make non-nursing bras? I had never really thought about it until this thread, but I just googled them and I’m definitely considering splurging in a few as a weaning present to myself, since I know they are good quality and comfy.

Any Philadelphia corporettes out there? I’ll be moving to a suburb right outside the city with a car and commuting daily to the city. Any tips/hints:suggestions would be greatly appreciated! (i.e. where traffic gets really bad, etc)

@Moving to Philly- I live in the Philly suburbs and used to commute into the city (now work outside). I would highly recommend taking the train if you can, mainly because of the traffic and parking situations!

I grew up in the Philly suburbs and lived there up until a few years ago. I agree with Melanie and Anon: taking Septa in is the easiest way to go. Traffic and parking in Philly can get messy. Living near a station is probably your best bet.

Otherwise, parking at the station and going depends on the station. Some of the smaller stations have fewer parking spots available, and even in the larger ones, the spaces go quickly during rush hour. One of the bigger stations near me also required paying for parking, in quarters, no less.

I live there and commute now… Unfortuanately the place I commute to isn’t train friendly. Depending on where you are/where you’re going the train is definitely the easiest as all of the highways get pretty backed up. Schuylkill (76) is horrendous. 476 and 95 aren’t so bad. If you don’t mind what town are you going to be in and what area are you going to?

Favorite panty – Victoria’s Secret thongs in the Angel collection
Favorite bra – Matching VS Angel collection bras- you can get them in allover lace or smooth
Favorite slip – Don’t wear slips
Favorite camisole – I really like the basic camis at Ann Taylor. You can get them on sale at a good price, they last forever, and they never ride up on me
Favorite pantyhose – I like either DKNY Nudes or the sheer Calvin Kleins if I want something a bit cheaper
Favorite support garment – I buy the shapers in the Assets line by Spanx at Target. They’re about half the price of regular Spanx and they work great for me

Ok, I’ll bite.
Favorite undies: Hanky panky. I also like the VS version of those but they don’t hold up nearly as well.
Bras: I really like DKNY and Betsy Johnson.
Slip: I got into the Gap ones on Monday’s recommendation here and really like them. I also buy more old-timey looking ones because they’re fun to lounge in before/after (un)dressing. Anthropologie usually has a good selection and they usually go on sale.
Camisole: never found one I really like.
Pantyhose: don’t wear them if I can help it. Tights or nude legs only.
Support garments: don’t wear them, though I did buy a pair of spanx bicycle short looking things that come up to the bra once. Can’t say I was impressed or would forsake comfort/matronly look for the slight smoothing that they do.

Maybe not the exact right word. I feel very unattractive in them. Too many girdle associations. For me, it’s like the exact opposite of wearing beautiful underwear and feeling attractive because I am wearing them. Plus, it’s hardly fun to be wearing super compressed bike shorts or the like if you’re, um, getting some “help” with the undressing after a nice night out…

I’m totally converted to shaper bike shorts under dresses, the kind that runs from mid thigh to under the bust. Noticeable improvement on panty line and fabric drape when I wear wrap dresses. My favorite is from Rhonda Shear’s Vixen line. I’ve found I can’t handle too much compression for more than a few hours.

Do you not find that they leave a visible line around your ribcage, not unlike the line of a bra that you can see from the back? although I’m pretty thin I do have some flesh in that area and find that the shaper shorts just emphasize that without making much of a difference in the tummy.

I am a huge, huge fan. I’d say 70% of my underwear draw consists of them. They never dig into my sides the way some other undies do, they’re super comfy, and they last well. But, fwiw, I never pay ‘retail price’ for them. They’re always available for about $11/pair at Saks outlets, Lohman’s, Centutry 21, NM Last Call, etc.

Wow, I NEVER wear a slip. I would be more worried about it showing, which seems like something people were always talking about when more women wore them, than a little bit of VPL (tights and wearing things that fit usually address that OK.) I had no idea slips were still a thing. Is it generational? I’m 29 for what it’s worth . . .

I have a skirt that is lined and has a lace trim, and my former manager once pulled me aside to let me know my “slip was showing”. Don’t know whose face the egg was on after I explained it was a lace trim on the skirt. I don’t own any slips.

Slips are great for minimizing wardrobe malfunctions – wish I had one the other day when I had a Marilyn Monroe moment in a drape-y skirt.

I know slips have largely gone the way of the dinosaurs, but I often see women walking around who are not aware that they need one; when the sunlight reveals your choice of lingerie, it’s not a professional look.

Favourite undies: Marks & Spencer cotton thong, or What Katie Did. Very different because What Katie Did is retro-style with lots of coverage. It depends on what I’m wearing over them.
Bra: Marks & Spencer, Chantelle
Slip: I have a few, can’t say I’ve ever paid close attention to the brand.
Support garment: Spanx (both high-waisted short style, and their control slip, which I wear frequently)
Pantyhose: Try not to wear them – like AIMS, I am a tights or nothing kind of girl
Tights: Marks & Spencer or bust. No, really, Hue works too.
Camisole: I’ve had success with Ann Taylor, J. Crew, and a New Zealand merino company (because I’m always cold).
Socks: Smartwool, hands down.

M&S tights are too short for me (as are John Lewis) but I’ve had good luck at Debenhams. Weirdly, M&S nylons fit perfectly and I love to feel of them.

I’m incidentally wearing a M&S half slip today as a skirt (luckily working from home and have my long jacket in case I run to Co-op). Going to have to break down and agree to a drawer at the boyfriend’s place since I can’t pack apparently (a tunic-y top but no skirt to go with it).

https://www.facebook.com/TheShemie?fref=ts –> I need to put in a plug for the Shemie line of undergarments – slips, camisoles, rompers- created by one of my high school classmates, Shelton Wilder. They’re made in North Carolina (yay, local goods!) and would be perfect under a DVF wrap dress.

If there’s any smaller busted ladies out there (I’m a 34A) and you’re looking for a super comfortable everyday bra, I highly recommend the Victoria’s Secret cotton lingerie wireless bra. They’re not expensive, and I can barely feel it on. It gives me shape, and I don’t have the problem of partially empty bra cups. One of my breasts is larger than the other, and this bra works for both!

Favorite panty – Still looking.
Favorite bra – Wacoal (65124 for everyday, La Femme when I want/need more coverage)
Favorite slip – I don’t wear one, but I’m in the market
Favorite camisole/support garment – Yummie Tummie original tank. I first bought them (one in beige, one in black) in 2008, after having my first kid. I still wear the same two tanks regularly. I am not overweight, BMI-wise, but I am banana/apple-shaped. The tanks smooth out and flatten my stomach a bit and help with muffin top. But they’re also comfortable enough that I pull them out when I want an extra layer or with any clothing where I worry about my bra-straps showing through. Highly highly recommended, in spite of the high price and obnoxious name.
Favorite pantyhose – Not a fan, in part because every pair of tights/hose cut uncomfortably into my waist. Sucks to have basically no waistline.

Great topic…
Favorite Panty – Hanes cotton hi-cut. I know I’m boring and not very sexy, but I am very comfy! VS no-show hipsters when I need the no-show part and I’ll never do the thongs.
Favorite Bra – VS Everywhere bra
Slip – Like the other 20-somethings, I have never worn one.
Camis – Usually H&M or anywhere that has cheap basics.
Hose – CK Ultra-sheer or DKNY. If I’m in a pinch, No Nonsense from the drugstore.
Tights- Generally Hue because they sell them at TJ Maxx and are good for the price.

I love this topic! This is my area of expertise. I’m a fashion stylist in Los Angeles and because of this ongoing problem of finding a chic, modern slip, which was IMPOSSIBLE, I designed my own…The Shemie! My line was just featured on Shark Tank and I always ask everyone…”When did we give the slip the slip?!” I’m not sure, but I’m bringing it back, in a modern way! Sleek, sexy and extremely comfortable. The Shemie solves the problem of wearing a slip under a dress, especially a wrap dress. I call mine the “Meet the Parents”…cheeky so you aren’t showing too much cleavage, but still staying sassy! Also layered with leggings, because remember ladies…Leggings ARE NOT PANTS! The Shemie is the ultimate layering piece and just like Sara Blakely brought the girdle back with Spanx, my plan is to bring the slip back in a modern way!

Favorite panty – Hanky Panky or Commando for no lines
Favorite Bra – Bra-llelujah by Spanx
Slip – The Shemie “Meet the Parents” www.theshemie.com
Camis – The Shemie “Hoppy Top”
Hose – Donna Karen Nudes…if ABSOLUTELY necessary, I hate hose
Tights – The BEST are Commando tights! They are fab and they are NO DIG…so comfortable

i have a white half slip and a black half slip and i wear them ALL THE TIME. they are a MUST when you want to wear tights and cotton dresses. or leggings with cotton dresses. unless you want to have that dress riding between yo legs, you better get a slip, girl!

I have been practicing law since 1985, and I have yet to wear a slip with a business dress or skirt suit! I was raised wearing a slip with my school uniform, and vowed I would never wear one when i grew up. I first saw professional women wearing bare legs in the summer when I worked in London in the early 90’s. I decided tights in the winter ( or black sheer stockings in Court) and no more stockings the rest of the time, and I’ve never looked back! For no VPL, I recommend silk thongs and boy shorts from Mary Green, and for comfortable bras I think you can’t beat Wacoal. I own Spanx, but only wear them with evening gowns. Life is too short, and the practice of law too demanding, to be compressed!

DITTO. I hate slips and extra fabric period, & hate compression garments. I dont think they actually make me look smaller, just moves my squishy parts around (note, I said for ME, others may have different preferences/experiences). I’m better off buying clothes that fit.

Hi – I’m (till now) a lurker around here, but I decided to post and introduce myself because I don’t see some of my favs on any lists yet (and also because it’s a slow sunny Friday around here). I work in higher ed and I found this blog when feeling lost about transitioning from an “anything goes” workplace to a “business casual” at minimum on. Anyway, I like:

I started out as a skirt-suit wearer and relied on hose to even out the lumps (and under wool lined skirts, that really wasn’t an issue).

Then I gave up hose. And skirt suits (mostly). And while everything was a bit free-er, other problems (lumpies!) cropped up. And tights can make even some lined things clingy (and most skirts / dresses aren’t lined).

It’s so nice to see a roundup of undergarments that aren’t just sausage casings (which would make me cringe at the gym — sometimes I don’t worry about what my husband thinks of undergarments since he’s seen me birth two babies, but the gym scene intimidates me). Very Maggie-the-Cat and Butterfield 8 — I am inspired!

– Favorite bra: Le Mystere Safari and Manhattan (discontinued, sadly). This brand seems to understand large cups on a small band.

– Favorite slip: Vanity Fair? I have several, including one that I’ve had since I was about 10, which used to be mid calf and is now mid-thigh. Great for under sweater dresses. I have a Spanx half slip that I wear pulled up under my bra strap (to prevent rolling) when I need a smooth line under evening wear. The strapless Spanx full slip seemed like a good idea, but smooshes the girls too much and comes too high for evening dresses.

– Favorite camisole: BP, mostly cotton but smooth like a synthetic, wash really well and only $12

– Favorite pantyhose: I have a few Ann Taylor hose that I’ve had for 10 years and wear maybe once a year… For tights, Hue and DKNY seem to work best for me. Assets are OK until they start to roll down.

– Favorite support garment: haven’t found one that doesn’t roll down on me (short waisted?) and actually makes me any smaller. Seems like the extra fabric adds more to my shape than it reduces.

Favorite panty: lace hanky panky or felinas
– Favorite bra: natori cooler cotton (Can’t remember exact name but the panels are mesh and supposed to keep you cooler) they are really comfortable, and clothes lay well over them
– Favorite slip: whatever bloomingdales carries. i tried the ones from kohls and target. they always rode up or shifted during the day, so to replace them with two or three from bloomingdales was eventually the same amount spent on the cheaper junk
– Favorite camisole: don’t have one. don’t have a brand i like yet
– Favorite pantyhose: DKNY, SPANX, j.crew
– Favorite support garment: don’t have one
– Favorite socks: smart wool & nike